Community College After High School

Perhaps you’ve graduated your student from homeschooling and they are 18 years old. Should you send them to community college after that? Although sending your younger teenager to community college can be risky, attending as an adult can be a little different. Classes are available for students of all abilities--if your student has graduated from homeschooling and is still struggling with basic reading, writing, or math, community college can be a great way for them to find a class at their ability level and catch up on their learning. Alternatively, if your student is ready for higher level classes, it could be harder to gain access to those courses before satisfying the prerequisites, and thus might take more time than you might expect, so make sure to look into the courses that are offered very carefully. One thing to keep in mind about community college is that the grades are permanent and that failure is an option! If you get a failing or a poor grade at community college, that grade is permanent, and it will be reported to any university you apply to down the road.
Community college is also relatively inexpensive. If you cannot afford a four-year college, sometimes community college is an option because it’s less expensive. However, even for young adults, community college remains a rated-R environment: expect different worldviews, standards, and ethics. It’s important to remember that while they’re teaching their academics, they will sometimes use a “sex-sells” marketing strategy that can really offend people who tend to be conservative in nature. It’s an adult environment, and meant for adults who are learning specific things, but it can also be useful in certain situations.
Community college can be particularly helpful if your student, who perhaps has to be dragged kicking and screaming through their homeschool graduation, all of the sudden becomes an adult and is willing to learn. An adult learner who is motivated to learn can easily transition into community college and get the information that they need. They may also attain an AA degree. For those of you in Washington state, a law was recently changed that allows children who are in the dual enrollment program and have achieved an AA degree from the community college to also receive a high school diploma at the same time that they receive their AA diploma. There are some great benefits to attending community college as a graduated young adult. Just keep your eyes open and don’t be surprised at the different culture, values, and worldviews you’ll encounter!